Surviving the Survivor

A Brutally Honest Conversation About Life (& Death) with My Mom: A Holocaust Survivor, Therapist & My Podcast Co-Host

By: Joel Z. Waldman

Narrated by: Joel Z. Waldman, Karmela Waldman

Holocaust survivor and licensed therapist Karmela Waldman shares brutally honest advice about life and death—often deploying brutally sharp wit—with her son and podcast co-host, Joel Waldman.

Karmela's story is moving and inspirational, and one every young person should be reminded of. Mitch Albom, Author of The Little Liar

Karmela Waldman is an eighty-something psychotherapist and Holocaust survivor. Her son, Joel Waldman, is a successful broadcast journalist. After a discontented Joel chooses to leave his network-news job, he gets a crazy idea for the next step in his career: What if he and his elderly mom did a podcast together?

The two embark on creating a show together and name it Surviving the Survivor. Things get off to a bumpy start as the lovingly dysfunctional mother-son duo struggle to figure out the art of podcasting on the flysometimes feuding, sometimes laughing, and finally mastering the format and watching Surviving the Survivor break out as a wildly popular true-crime hit.

Along the way, the two discover things about each other that they never knew. Joel is stunned to learn that Karmela survived World War II by hiding in a boys Catholic school. Karmela also sheds light on the emotional struggles she endured when Joel's older brother, Rami, died of an incurable illness. She's also struggling with the inevitable loss of her husband of sixty-three years, which she describes as the most difficult experience of her life.

Mastering podcasting is one thing; figuring out the meaning of life is a challenge of an entirely different order. In real time and on air, mother and son engage frankly and movingly with each other for the first time as adults, discussing child-rearing, aging, illness, death, and the secrets to enjoying life no matter how complicated it gets.

©2024 Joel Z. Waldman (P)2024 Post Hill Press

Honesty and humor

I love the podcast and feel like I know them better now and appreciate karms wisdom

Great life story

Funny and warm and true to real life story and an easy listen left me feeling positive

It's like a letter from Karmela and Joel.

First, Karmela has a mountain of patience with Joel to answer all the questions he asks! But, I'm glad to hear the answers, so thanks, Joel.

If you are a fan of #STS, you will feel like this is an intimate talk with Joel and Karm if you listen to the Audible version. If you are reading it, you'll feel like they published a letter you needed to read.

Just know that reading this book is an opportunity to tap into the wisdom of a respected and beloved woman, wife, mother, grandmother, mother-in-law, and friend who has been through hard situations 90% of us cannot even fathom.

One simple takeaway thus far is Karm's use of the phrase, "That person doesn't exist in my world..."

So smart! We should all have such a well-defined sense of self and dismiss our thoughts of people we have given so much importance to. We should never let them live rent free in our minds...so much wasted energy to be recovered!.

And, the voicemail clips from Karm are terrific! To quote one:

"Joel, at nine o'clock, your father and I are watching a movie, so we will be out of commission. Your father might try to get romantic. He still can't get enough at eighty-seven. Okay, love you, goodbye."

Lovely

I loved this book, their interaction. Played to every string of my soul, as the granddaughter of 4 holocaust survivors and an Israeli who lived many years in Miami, I was able to identify with every word, every neurosis, every trauma and every joke. Well done you two.

Touching and entertaining

I'm a huge fan of Karm, and Joel. But mostly Karm...LOL I wasn't sure what to expect, but I do like this podcast, and knew enough about the two's dynamic that I wanted the book, and I bought the paperback and hope to have it signed when Joel is in Los Angeles, CA. But I really wanted to hear Karm tell her story, and she's done an amazing job. I love her honesty. Her story is heart wrenching, but inspiring. I choaked up so many times hearing the reality of a time in history revealing the horrible pain so many suffered at the hands of pure evil people. It gave me a reality check, that still today, so many people are suffering with the horrors of war at the hands of the evil people behind it. Joel you get praise too. Although you often speak over your mom on the Podcast, you have done a beautiful job with this book, and telling Karm's story. Well done, Joel and Karm. I highly recommend this book and the podcast.

Love this mother/son relationship! So real and honest. Very refreshing AND Karm is HILARIOUS!

I really enjoyed this read! I an avid listener to their podcast Surviving the Survivor. This story takes you on a young jewish girl’s journey during WW 2. Some events told in the book are the first time that her son, Joel (host of podcast) has heard of them. So we get a real time insight on his reaction. They narrate the book themselves and are not professional voice actors so don’t expect a professional narration. I think this fact makes the book even better and REAL! Great job Joel & Karm!

Wendy B.
Gig Harbor, WA

Totally worth the time to read!!!

The best and most authentic story. Anyone who listens or reads this will feel like they know the Waldmans so much more! You will grow in wisdom and know what's important in life.

5 to 85 you are a survivor Karm

I can't imagine a 5-year-old Jewish child being separated from her family and moving to a Catholic school. I can understand why Karm is a do-it; do not over-analyze or draw out the situation. She was conditioned at a young age to be instructed and make split-second decisions.
Thank you for sharing your story, Karm and Joel, for putting it to paper. You are a survivor, along with others, and I'm thankful to have learned the true stories of your experiences. This excellent book is an example of a book that should be mandatory reading for 8th-grade students.

Love These two!

Love the openness and honesty of this relationship. Carmela offers a roadmap for thinking like a survivor whatever one’s circumstances! Joel brings a bit of humor to serious discussions. I love that he is not afraid to share who he is and even laugh at himself. Check out the podcast!

Informative & Very Entertaining

I absolutely LOVE this book! The bond between mother & son is strong & heart felt. I have now listened to it 3 times & learned something different each time. You two made me laugh out loud. Highly recommend it!